You Belong With Me
by The Blunt Child
Summary: Mitsu songfic. More fic than Taylor Swift song. Ritsu is a notorious player, but Mio is her hopeless, nerdy friend. High school AU
1. Chapter 1

Hey, even if you don't like the song, hopefully you can replace the repetitive notes with images of Mitsu. I listen to 90s R&B mostly, but I feel like it'd be kinder to write songfics where most people knew the song or could identify with it. Um, the spacing of punctuation may bother you, but I don't know how to format any other way...

Again, devastatingly AU and ooC to fit the song. Ages are manipulated, and characters you love may be trashed. Mio POV, which I should never do. I can't write true first-person.

Disclaimer: K-On would be told in Mugi's H-mind if I had executive power, and I'll let Taylor Swift and her producers have their song. Really, I don't want it.

**=YOU BELONG WITH ME=**

Ritsu Tainaka was one of the big players at our all-girls private school. Oddly, Ritsu didn't even possess a superlative to be most sought after female among females. She wasn't the most athletic, most wealthy, most talented, most eloquent, most masculine, most rebellious, most beautiful, tallest, nor smartest. However, Ritsu was singular in our school of 744 girls for being the only one in a band, a rock band (I was in the school band, a very different sort). Not lead vocals, not mad-skilled solo guitarist, but just off-beat drummer. Ritsu used to bring her sticks everywhere, but the teachers would always confiscate them. She resorted to vandalizing desks with tapping pens that burst into a mess that managed to look like…art.

Ritsu could be the essence of art. There was nothing objective about her. She gained anything from confused to awed stares. She was open to interpretation, but she happened to be very well-received among her patrons. Or should they be called matrons?—her mightily-numbered fangirls. She never buttoned her blazer, claiming that it was "too hot to be locked." With the way she was constantly drumming writing utensils and coordinating her right foot, I couldn't really argue her. She wouldn't humour me anyway, because she had the attention span of a goldfish. So childish, gah! Why did everyone have to adore her? Because her stupid yellow headband clashed with her badass attitude? Because when she smiled, only part of her mouth moved, making it much more an infuriating grin? Because when she looked at people, it was either right through them or directly at their soul?

Somehow, I, Mio Akiyama, queen of those wretched superlatives, most studious, most shy, most unnoticed by the student populace—I was Ritsu Tainaka's _chosen_ best friend. But not her girlfriend.

_You're on the phone  
With your girlfriend  
She's upset  
She's going off about  
Something that you said  
'Cause she doesn't get your humour  
Like I do_

We're in Ritsu's room, and she's/we're getting an earful from her girlfriend, Sawako Yamanaka. I would already be able to hear Sawako's bossy voice through the headset, but Ritsu put her cell on speaker. It was supposed to be our night, just us two friends, to hang out, so Ritsu didn't want to leave me out of the conversation? Ritsu…never left me out. I wouldn't mind so much at the moment, as I pondered at whether the whole neighborhood could hear echoes of this girl's shrieking. It was amazing how easy-going Ritsu's family was.

"YOU WERE SAYING THAT I LOOKED _FUGLY_ WITHOUT MAKE-UP! !" Sawako shouted.

"No, you misunderstood me. I think you look fine without make-up," Ritsu made this exasperated eye-roll at me. I knew that it wasn't out of insincerity of her words, but rather an annoyance of the conversation topic. I smiled weakly back at her, really wishing that she _did_ find the flashy Sawako as ugly as I did. Of course, Sawako grew mysteriously hideous after Ritsu started dating her…

"LIKE, YOU DIDN'T EVEN RECOGNIZE ME! !"

"That's because you put on so much normally. Such a big change. I understand stage make-up, hell, I do that sometimes myself. But _like, _your _life_ isn't a stage, Sawa," Ritsu looked pretty serious.

I had to stifle both a snicker AND a hiked eyebrow from Ritsu, because this was too ridiculous. Everyone knew Sawako Yamanaka was a two-faced demon. Of course everything was an act to her, because manipulating people could not be done passively. It also helped that she had a pornstar personality AND body.

"LIKE IF I DIDN'T WEAR MAKE-UP, PEOPLE WOULDN'T NOTICE ME, DUHHHH! !"

"What…we're 'dooooooooo-ne?' Oh…khhhhhh…fzzzzzt…crap, Sawa, I think…haaaaaaa…my phone is messed u—" Ritsu made the funniest faces as she badly attempted a dying call. Hopefully a sign of a dying relationship?

"DON'T YOU DAR—." Ritsu powered off her cell and threw it in a pile of her free t-shirt collection. She winked at me, and it felt like the sun taking over a frigid hailstorm. I shivered despite that.

"The world will always have women, but how long will there be you, Mio-chan?" Ritsu looked smilingly, not grinningly, at me, and I had to look away to hide my blush. What did that even mean? ! Was Sawako just another "woman" to Ritsu, but I was something more? Did Ritsu just not know how to word sentences correctly? Was she projecting my mortality? Wow…I had an imbecilic thinking process…

With no verbal response from me, Ritsu continued, "I mean, I know we're supposed to be watching video concerts, and I love this time." But does Ritsu love me the way I love— "Sawa…she's a little much." Oh don't be so _easy_ Ritsu, easy on her, just because this Sa-wacko was some hot chick! "I…I'm sorry," Ritsu bowed to me, something she usually did to appease my protective mother. I did not enjoy feeling like a different generation than Ritsu.

I wanted to say, "Then why are you still with her?" But I chickened out, no surprise, and instead asked in my blasted shyness, "What did you say to her originally?"

"Oh. That. Haha," Ritsu rubbed the back of her head sheepishly. Oh yes, I could tangibly feel something funny coming up. Ritsu, Ricchan, never failed to make me laugh. Or peeved. Both. "Well I walked right by her today in the hallways, because yeah dude, I didn't recognize her. So she got my attention finally, and I said, 'Whoa!—you're not wearing make-up! Didn't see ya there for a sec…you look kind of plain.' But then the tardy bell rang, and I had to cut it to fifth period. I'm not gonna risk probation with my d-hall counts senior year…"

What did I say? I had a strong reading for Ritsu's random humour, and this time had me bowled over, holding my stomach in loud laughter. Hey, the neighborhood was already awake from Sawako's howling.

"'Plain,' Ritsu, plain! ? I'm not an expert on things to say to girls, but that's probably one of the worst things you can say! Plain. Aha. You're so tactless, always saying the first thing that comes to your silly head. Ha ha, ahahahahhhaahaaa! !"

Ritsu regarded me with her smile, never laughing at the same time as me. She liked to laugh _at_ me or make me laugh. During the latter, she would just watch me with a very pleased air. This happened for a while, until Ritsu's face scrunched up a little,

"Wait, what's wrong with plain? And there's nothing wrong with speaking what I think! You should try it some time, Mio," Ritsu teased at my reserved nature, but I was still too gone to care. "Plain is so much better than glam. I hate glam. It's fake. Too much. Plain is real, simple, easy…pretty even. To me, Plain Jane is kind of pretty."

I simmered down gradually, and I regarded Ritsu with a guarded eye. She was being serious again. It was so uncharacteristic, or rather, something Ritsu was gaining with maturation.

"Ricchan," I murmured, grabbing her attention. No, don't say it fickle tongue, don't betray me, "—do you think I'm plain then?" My eyes immediately dropped to find my big, ugly feet. I couldn't stand that for very long, so my eyes just screwed shut. Tell me I'm pretty too. I would be so easy for you to claim, Ricchan. Everything else is complex, but I believe you and me are real. I'm right here. It's hard for me, but I'm simple-minded in my hope that—

Ritsu looked at me in surprise and then her eyebrows crinkled in thought. She had a dubious look to her face, and she reached up to graze my cheek. Only when the graze became a full touch, did I make eye-contact with her light-coloured eyes.

"Mio-chan. _God_ no."

Suddenly, her touch felt like a sting.

_I'm in the room  
It's a typical Tuesday night  
I'm listening to the kind of music  
She doesn't like  
She'll never know your story  
Like I do_

Did she know her favorite band? It would take only a minute to listen to one of Ritsu's earbuds to decipher that question, but Sa-wacko wouldn't waste effort on something like that. Not the way I did. Because I was listening to "The Who" right now and not concentrating on my midterms. How could I focus when Ritsu occupied my mind 24/7? Wait, maybe only 22/7, because I was pretty sure the other two hours were spent on butchering Sa-wacko. Did that mean that I also wanted Sa-wacko in some subconscious way?

No, because even though I didn't like "The Who" at first, I gave it a chance. How else was I supposed to be but accept the music of my drummer best friend? What does Sa-wacko do for anyone but herself? What does Sa-wacko do for Ritsu? Ritsu exhaled life like a breeze, but there was so much more to her than that. Even I couldn't know it all, but damnit, I am better!…right?

Just like her favorite music, I didn't like Ritsu at first. We met in primary school, and she persisted in bothering me. She made a loud, big deal about my grades and work, she touched my hair, she stared at me…I didn't want attention back then. I still don't. But hers would be tolerable. Manageable. Desirable. Unimaginable.

Yet just like her favorite music, if exposed to enough, I could only fall helplessly. The conflict I faced in the beginning with "The Who" and Ritsu, miraculously evolved into a reinforcement of affection with every time I interacted with them. So even if I couldn't be with Ritsu, I could listen to this music forever. It was such a shame that the music only served to remind me of the drummer.

A weekday night, and I was trying to read these chapters. Multi-tasking was impossible when my other resources were spent on blocking out images of them. Ritsu may have been...pleasing…Sa-wacko senseless. A droplet fell onto my page.

I turned up the volume dial to her music, and my forehead followed after that tear.

_But she wears short skirts  
I wear t-shirts  
She's cheer captain  
And I'm on the bleachers  
Dreaming about the day  
When you wake up and find  
That what you're looking for  
Has been here the whole time_

"Hey Mio-chan, you're wearing my shirt! ?" Ritsu waved goofily at me from the field, her eyebrows worming around. I only waved back before fingering the buttons on my **bass** clarinet. Usually I would do more to acknowledge her (but not shout in front of other _people_, heavens no), but she happened to be holding hands with a certain cheerleader on break.

Today our school celebrated our homecoming game with Jersey Day, as in, sport the jersey number of your friend at the game. Now one can't forget that I attend an all-girls private school, so our most popular sport was Lacrosse. A newly forming tradition at the school was that the significant other of a player would actually wear their sweetheart's away-game jersey. This was slowly leaking out to the younger teachers at our school, but the stodgy, aging cabinet in the Board of Trustees was entirely in the unaware.

Please don't remind me, I was not donning Ritsu's other jersey. She had always been good at athletics, but she wasn't really the star of the team. Didn't stop most girls from wanting her jersey anyway. Ritsu was much too small to shove around with the meatier girls, but she was fast and wiry. She had the sliver of a chance at being the captain, but she didn't attend practices enough to be reliable to the team's gung-ho coach. It didn't really matter to me…she was adorable in her uniform. The other players were definitely more curvy in their skirted sports attire, but Ritsu always managed to look good in her lanky, boyish frame. The sleeveless top really showed off how toned and strong her arms were all over…

But wait, Sa-wacko wasn't wearing Ritsu's away-game jersey either. Crazy witch was just clad in her normal cheerleading outfit, which she totally made the skirt shorter to! She just had to tailor all her school clothes to _whore_. Did that mean Ricchan didn't give Sa-wacko her jersey to wear? I had had the fortune of wearing Ricchan's jersey every year before, because she hadn't started dating her next floozy of the academic year. Homecoming games were really early on in the season. She tended to start dating after warming up at school for a few months, and then by the end of the year she would taper off to almost nothing. Summer was for me, "just for fun" she would say. I never understand how Ritsu picked them, except that there were many and all short-lived. These vamps openly hated or ignored me, and it was bad enough that loud noises alone frightened me. Perhaps it was a good thing that I didn't get to wear Ritsu's jersey this year…I'd like to come out senior year unscathed. I was tired of girls always pulling down my pants in gym. I was destined to never be a bride!

Too bad most of them could identify that I was wearing her band tee. Not just the one that all of them could purchase before the show, but one of the tees that she used to perform in. When her band first started in late middle school, the band made print tees for all the members. With some slight filling out over the years, she had given me her old tee. She didn't like the feeling of tight t-shirts, so I wore it occasionally as a fitted one. It sure beat wearing my normal band uniform! That thing is hideous and embarrassing, and a bunch of my mates didn't have popular significant others or cared about sports so they were wearing it painfully…oh, but not Tsumugi Kotobuki next to me on her (not bass) clarinet. She was wearing a…full-out formal kimono? !

"Um…Mugi-san…"

"Hm, ah yes Mio-san?"

"Why are you in a…um…"

Mugi sighed to no one in general before replying, "I had to greet many of my father's business partners."

"Oh…I see…that's really quite admirable!" I bowed to her.

"No, I just didn't have any time you see…"

When I arrived home past midnight, exhausted beyond belief, I collapsed onto my bed. Our team won, yay, I guess. It didn't affect me much, because Ritsu had been on the bench during the decisive goal. Take a gander at where my eyes were. Feeling an unfamiliar article on my bed, I shot up to find Ritsu's once badly-folded away-game jersey in my hands. I felt my mouth agape and couldn't stop my eyes from watering over. I buried my face in the smooth nylon fabric and rubbed and basked in the pleasant mixture of her laundry detergent and natural scent.

I too had been in a bit of a rush like Mugi-san earlier…I had come home to quickly throw on my planned t-shirt top and jeans. I had assumed Ritsu would have given her jersey to her girlfriend, so I was none the wiser. I not once looked over at my bed during my pitstop. I really was her _best _friend. I sighed happily as I dashed off to take a quick shower. My decided PJs for the night would be some old shorts and Ritsu's jersey…

I awoke at 10 or so in the morning to find Ritsu perched at the side of my bed, gazing at me with big, mocking eyes. I gave a yelp and backed into the wall with a bit of an oomph, making my assailant burst into laughter.

"So you didn't wear it last night, but you wear it to bed? You're one weird girl, Mio…"

I come out of my sheets to look back at her with guilty eyes. I was about to cry again (it wasn't hard to get me started), and Ritsu looked amused with it all! "I'm so, so, _so_ sorry Ritsu! ! I just ran into my room yesterday, I didn't see it, and I thought you'd give it to Sa-wac—"

Her hand reaches for my arm to steady my shaking. I hold my breath. "Hey, it's cool. I know you meant well," she grinned at me radiantly.

"Yo-you're not mad?" I choked out.

"Pfffft…do I ever get mad at _you_? Talk about role-reversal…" Ritsu sauced at me.

Relief swept over me quickly followed by realization, "What is THAT supposed to mean! ?" I bonked her in the head. "And what are you doing in my room at this time of day! ?" Ritsu vainly attempted to dodge my attacks.

"You'll become a pig if you sleep that much!"

"WHAT did you say! ?"

"A cute piggy I mean! !"

_Walking the streets  
With you and your worn out jeans  
I can't help thinking  
This is how it ought to be  
Laughing on a park bench  
Thinking to myself  
Hey, isn't this easy?_

Tonight was the Homecoming Dance, and Ritsu wasn't taking Sawako to it. It was so obvious that Ritsu was going to break another girl…it was almost cruel. But only cruel to the girls who actually had true feelings for her. Surely mine were the greatest, but no, it would be impossible to call your heart's apple, cruel. Heart's apple? No wonder Ritsu said I should never write musical lyrics…

Ritsu wanted to spend today, instead of dolling up and preparing for the dance like most girls, scaring children in the park. I was loathe to admit that it was a common activity of hers that eventually became ours. In my defense, anything was better than her spending that evil plotting on me. And it was a guilty pleasure of mine too, because it was really funny! !

We would just sit on one of the park benches, having a normal conversation. I mean, it wasn't a pretense, we would actually hold a conversation as we would always. Only, if Ritsu spotted a child or group of children without adult supervision, she would POUNCE. And scream at them. As if she was the terrified one. Chaos would ensue. These kids would do anything from scream and run, bawl on spot, pee themselves, scream "rape!"…yeah, a lot of the times we'd have to immediately remove ourselves from the scene, cackling madly down the neighborhood streets.

At the moment we were heatedly (and very ironically) discussing whether having only one child was beneficial or detrimental to development. Suddenly, Ritsu stopped prattling about "the more the merrier!" She had never let her previous prey distract her so openly, because this was too obvious, even for a child. Ritsu's cheeks grew pink, eyes still locked on target. I had to get a look at this kid, and I found myself staring at a delicate, pale looking child, her own eyes panicked by Ritsu's besotted stare. Ritsu rocketed out of her seat,

"WUUAAAAHHH ! ! ! !"

The small thing shrieked and cried waterworks immediately. She attempted to turn tail and run, but the poor thing tripped over her own…feet. Her flowered dress skirt flew up with her, and her SAILOR MOON℠ underwear was on display for all witnesses.

Rather than running away like we always did, Ritsu was by the girl's side in a second, pulling the girl's skirt over her exposed bottom. She unceremoniously picked the girl up high into the air, apologizing profusely with little head bows as the screaming girl swatted and kicked at this stranger. I ran over before the situation became stickier.

"Ritsu, geez, put the girl down."

Ritsu nodded her head at me as she gingerly placed the girl upright on her feet. The girl was too started and possibly stark-scared to move, lest we clobber her. I bent down to her level, "It's okay sweetie, that crazy lady meant no harm. You can carry on with whatever you were doi—"

"NO!" Ritsu squeaked. Her head was down, and her face was dark from a rare moment of guilt and something else… "I-I'll buy her some ice cream!"

The child chose to spoke for the first time, "…but I don't like ice cream…"

"What! ? What kind of kid doesn't like ice cream! ? Your parents beat you or something! ? 'Cause I'll rip them to pieces if the—"

"U-um, what would you rather have instead then?" I asked to the trembling child. I gave a look at Ritsu too, wondering why she was getting so worked up over the situation…

"I-I like…ah…no…ah…it's okay. I c-ca-can just go!" the little girl tried to get away again, but—

"NO!" Ritsu pointed a sharp finger at the child, freezing the poor thing on the spot. "You. Crepes! ?"

The briefest of smiles ghosted on the girl's lips before returning to her horrified expression, "O-okay!"

So the three of us walked in awkward silence to the crepe stand. I was acting as a buffer between the two, because Ritsu would just step towards the girl and she'd whimper. The girl used my thigh as a sort of crutch every now and then. It didn't help that Ritsu was wearing beaten up jeans with holes and rips. I really needed to cut some of the tension. "So…what's your name? This is my friend Ricchan, and you can call me Mio-chan."

"Ah…uh…m-my name is Azu-chan. It's nice to meet you!" Azu-chan bowed to me, "…Mio-chan." She eyed Ritsu warily. I let out a laugh.

We came up to the crepe stand, and Ritsu ordered three. She allowed Azu-chan the choice of any one first, and then Ritsu pretended to give one to me. Then she pulled back meanly and bit into the one she planned on giving to me. I pouted and crossed my arms, feeling quite left out of this…awkward situation…but soon after, Ritsu gave me the third one. It was my favorite flavor too, strawberry.

The three of us ate in peaceful silence, and I forgot that it was bizarre of us to be eating with this child we didn't know. It felt sort of…perfect. We eventually walked her over to the playground, and she explained to us that she could walk herself home. Ritsu insisted that obnoxious "NO!" again, but Azu-chan was adamant this time. Perhaps she didn't want us to know where she lived…

"Okay, confession time. What was that all about, Ritsu?" I poked her in the shoulder.

"Uh…ya know, she just looked sooo sad—"

"Didn't move you before."

"Her skirt flew up—"

"That one boy had diarrhea."

Ritsu bowed her head, and her shoulders were shaking. I could tell she would have some breakdown soon. A laughing fit. Giggles became laughs became guffaws. I had to laugh too, because that boy really had looked like a punk…

"So what was special about this kid? You blushed over her, you apologized, you bought her a crepe," I wouldn't let it go.

Ritsu sighed, looking really reticent. "She reminded me of someone…"

"Really—who? ! Almost everyone you interact with is outrageous and extraverted and rud—"

"You wound me!"

"It's true."

"She reminded me of you."

"Wh-wha-what! ?" I flushed. "How so? !" I didn't know if it was out of anger or embarrassment. Probably some sort of denial too.

"Oh come _on_, Mio! The hair? The Eastern doll look? The mannerisms! ? OH, the panti—"

"Shu-shut it!" I clamped my hands over my ears. "I will never be a bride, I will never be a bride, I will never be a bride…"

"She was really cute. Almost as cute as you were. You know you were my favorite girl growing up…"

I looked at her sideways, irked, "Because you could harass me to no end? Because I cry easily! ?"

"No, c'mon, Mio. It was more than that. I really liked you! That's all I knew as a kid, that I really liked you! !"

"…"

"Hey…Mio-chan. If I end up alone, because I can't find anybody…" Ritsu began. What on earth was she going on about? "—will you still be around?" Oh great, because if the earth were rid of all prospective women for Ritsu, she would finally accept me? ! "Because I hope you always will be. Will you help me raise a kid, um I mean, just visit sometimes, if I adopt one like Azu-chan?" Ritsu asked pathetically. Woo, I'm not even a possible match for her; I'm just a babysitter! And how could someone like her _ever_ be alone? The world loves people like Ritsu.

"I thought you were opposed to only children," I snapped at her.

"Well you're an only child, Mio, and you came out—"

"Why do you always use me, Ritsu?" I looked at her straight-on, challengingly. I felt like such a tool to Ritsu. I would help her get by in school, I was the butt of her jokes, I was the loser best friend next to all of her girlfriends. It just wasn't fair.

"Because I can't do it by myself, Mio! ! I can't do _anything_ by myself. You already know that, Mio-chan. I can't be alone. Looks like I'm getting closer to that. I'm gonna die before I'm 40."

I didn't know how to respond to that. I could only recall that she constantly reiterated as children, "I'll never date, marry or be with someone until I'm 40! !" I would ask her why, and she would explain that was when death struck people. She went on that she had already been given life's answer. I had never asked what that answer was, but I still wanted to know. Had she lost it just now?

-.-

Wow, this turned out longer than I had planned. So this will become a two-shot! Hopefully. Encourage me to finish? Thank you for reading!


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimed.

Hey, thanks for the reviews. They really inspired me to just sit down and do it.

Don't worry, the important characters will all appear...as Ritsu's exes. Yeah, I realize the song is a little ridiculous, and it could be powerful without the lyrics…but honestly, the lyrics were a road-map to where the story was going (it could have been about leprechauns or toe-jam if I had no external structure). I would be disrespecting the song by not including it somehow, so sorry . Scroll past the lyrics?

And this stayed a two-shot, because I'm lazy. Same goes for a Ritsu POV. Maybe next time? And sort of copped-out of a fully conclusive ending. You dish it to me if you feel that. Sometimes I just forget what I need to finish.

**=YOU BELONG WITH ME=**

**Pt. 2**

_And you've got a smile  
That could light up this whole town  
I haven't seen it in awhile  
Since she brought you down  
You say you're fine  
I know you better than that  
Hey what you doing  
With a girl like that_

Back at her house after the park episode, and we were just channel surfing in the living room. We rarely bummed at my house, because my parents were infinitely more severe than Ritsu's pair. Sometimes I wished Ritsu's parents were my own, but then I figured I would have been born boring _and_ raised to twiddle school away, my only hope.

"Ricchan…maybe I'm wrong, but I think it's obvious, though it's kind of rude, but I think you're going to break it anyway, yet I'—"

"Mio-chan, relax. It's just me," Ritsu put the television controller down to focus her attention on me.

"Is there something particular you look for in your girlfriends? They're all pretty different…For instance, what do you see in Sa—" I had to verbally prepare myself, "—wako-san?"

"Eh, well. She's kind of hot in that alpha-female way," Ritsu threw out casually.

_Kind of?_ What was that supposed to mean? I didn't think anyone considered me alpha-female, although often I would force Ritsu to comply with my more rational suggestions. But I still wanted her to lead the charge, take center stage in social situations! I still had to voice my thought,

"'Kind of?' It's always 'kind of' for you. I always imagined you wanted someone that was _staunchly, undeniably, passionately_…something. I have a weak personality, but even _I_ want that…" I mumbled slowly into myself.

"You don't have a weak personality, Mio!" Ritsu shouted at me, and even though it seemed like she was berating me, it was her strange way of defending me? I wanted to believe that. "Well…uh. My girlfriends were all 'kind of' simple—"

"Like pretty Plain Jane! ?" I lashed out.

"—-minded."

"Ew Ritsu, you're one of those people who like dumb girls?" I couldn't believe it. She could be dumb enough herself—did she want to die together with someone in romantic inanity! ?

"They just felt right, okay? A good way to take my attention from other crap…" Ritsu admitted pitifully.

"…" I didn't know whether I should tap into some sympathy from her sudden weakness or just stick with my annoyance at her barbarian tastes.

"They weren't all that bad, right! ? Nodoka was pretty bright! And had that hot librarian look with her glasses…but still simple-minded in her cutthroat path to a prestigious university," Ritsu listed. I could agree with that. Loon glared me down whenever I was around Ritsu or scored higher in anything. Which happened. A lot. "Aw what about Yui…or was it Ui? Did I date both twins? One was really boring compared to the other, but anyway…the girl was dumb as batshit, but she was really nice to you in that oblivious sort of way?"

"Oh yeah…she _was_ the only kind one to me. But that was freshman year, too long ago…and she was one of the quickest drops you had! ! Why'd you leave the sweetest one! ?" I bellowed at Ritsu. If she had to be with someone else and someone stupid, why not pick the harmless one?

Ritsu only looked at me in frustration with that look of, _You should know the answer; it's obvious. _And there was a hint of pain. Barely there, and gone. Fleeting. I wondered if it had been there at all. Her unreadable, goofy expression was back into play, but I couldn't dwell on it anymore. Her doorbell was ringing.

Ritsu lept like an antelope into the air, looking as if she'd been saved from my attack. If only I could have seen her face when she opened the door.

"Hello, Ritsu," Sa-wacko said saucily, leaning her hip and high-placed hand on the doorframe like some…I've already used pornstar, huh? Sa-wacko's Homecoming dress, if you could call it that, looked like something even a mermaid would be abashed to twirl around in. Iridescently green and blue, it covered her nipples and accentuated her…camel toe. I shuddered into my tea cup. The little remaining fabric was sheer. "Don't think that I'm here for _you_, Ritsu."

"Uh, but you're at my door, Sawa." Ritsu cocked a brow at her soon-to-be ex of many. How many of these break-ups had I witnessed? Ritsu hardly gave them the respect of a private break-up, but it _was_ usually their own undoing…

"Only to inform you that I will be going with the lovely—Jun goddamnit!—get over here! Ahem," Sawako attempted to stay coy, "—Jun Suzuki."

Jun stood there with her hands in her dress pants' pockets, ignoring the whole situation with a coolly annoyed stoneface. She was a year younger than us, but she was definitely one of the big players in her cliché, dramatic rebellion. She nodded an acknowledgment to Ritsu—perhaps showing some sort of underclassman player respect—and she sort of leered at me. I blushed, tea cup trembling in hand. Ritsu "Yosh"ed amicably back, only to stare again at a steaming Sawako.

"I'm happy for you? Does this mean we're over?" Ritsu casually asked. She looked completely unfazed.

"NO, I mean, YES, YES! ! Before you make another _trophy_ of me," Sawako did her best to ignore the sudden eruption of giggles from Ritsu's throat, "I'm going to do what NO girl has EVER done. I'M dumping YOU. Yeah you loser. I WIN, because I'M DUMPING YOU!" Sawako pointed viciously in Ritsu's face. I could feel my teacup quaking in my hands, but not because I was scared. For once. I wanted to unleash my fury at this STUPID harpy clawing at Ritsu. I only ever blew-up on Ritsu, but to blow up on her behalf would be an astronomical proportion.

"Okay, you win," Ritsu shrugged nonchalantly. Cool down, Mio, Ritsu doesn't care. Just simmer down…

"EUUUUUURRRRGGGHHHHHHHHHH! !" Sa-wacko belted like a t-rex. She even had her arms placed in that retarded, dinosaur way. "Fine…WHATEVER! Go spend your night doing nothing with your REJECT best friend," Sa-wacko turned to walk away, but—

"REJECT?" Ritsu spun Sa-wacko on the spot to jab her index forcefully into Sa-wacko's sternum. The girl flinched in turn. Ritsu looked murderous, take no prisoners stance. Jun quietly scurried off to her sports car in the background. "Y-y-y-yo-you BITCH! ! Who's the reject! ? I'm rejecting YOU! !" Ritsu slammed the door on Sa-wacko, surely making the girl fall off-balance. A profound silence pervaded the room.

I cautiously got up to see Ritsu at a better angle. Her eyes…I had never seen them like this before…they were glowing. Her face was pulsing red all over, not the dabs of red on her cheeks she got when she was embarrassed. Her arms were twitching fervently; I could see her forearms defining and softening, back and forth. Her jaw was set in a line of distaste. Nothing seemed to be able to affect her irate absorption. It would be wise to step away. I couldn't. I reached out tentatively, but pulled back in fear, before reaching out again to place a soothing hand on her shoulder.

And just like that. Poof. Her body responded in a sluggish shift before her gaze set on me. Her eyes became softer than a warm, worn-out blanket, returning to their childlike wonderment. Little drops had collected at the corners of her eyes, but she was smiling that smile only for me. "Mio-chan, will you go to Homecoming with me?"

I wasn't sure if it was how she stood up for me, her disarming smile, or whether she just asked me to the dance, but I fainted on all accounts.

_Oh, I remember  
You driving to my house  
In the middle of the night  
I'm the one who makes you laugh  
When you know you're about to cry  
And I know your favorite songs  
And you tell me about your dreams  
Think I know where you belong  
Think I know it's with me_

After Ritsu had caught me, doused some water and swatted at me for a few minutes, she immediately pushed me out of her house about to slam the door on me too!

"WAIT! !" I cried. Her eyes were still wet, and I couldn't read her expression at all. She was such a contradiction. Was she still down about her break-up or…maybe she was worried that I fainted? Wishful thinking, Mio… "...Are you sure you're okay?" I whispered into the night air.

"…Well…that depends…" Ritsu sounded like she didn't want to talk anymore, just wanted to be alone. Well there went my night too. Wasn't something big supposed to happen? "Will you…_please_…go to Homecoming with me?" Ritsu pouted at me with the saddest looking dog-eyes I had witnessed. What the—?

"Wha? I thought I already answered you…"

"Oh, okay, don't worry about it then—" Ritsu grew smaller.

"And I said—"

"I'll jus—" And smaller.

"Yes!" I eeped more than spoke. I was also really quiet, so I hope she heard me…

"What! ? REALLY! ?" And Ritsu started laughing to the skies, hands on her hips like a proud fool. "Wee-ellll then," she pushed at me as I tried to walk back into her house, "—go home and put on a "Who" shirt. I'll come by soon!" She slammed the door on me. Goodness, she really liked doing that. I wanted to tell her that my parents probably wouldn't appreciate it if she came by, but then I remembered they were out at the symphony. And even if they weren't, who cares! ? I'm going to Homecoming with Ritsu Tainaka! !

Should I wear the pants or the skirt…? I could go with the usual, a pair of jeans, or I could go with the jean skirt I never wore that my mother picked out for me. And truth be told, she probably had more of an idea of what was fashionable for teens than I did. And why on earth were we going to Homecoming in t-shirts instead of formalwear! ? Homecoming wasn't the most strict dress code, but we were already big enough weirdos! _Dung, dung, dung ,dung; dung, dung, dung, dung._

And that was my doorbell, the kind people felt awkward pressing twice due to its ringing duration. However, before I even reached the bottom of my stairs, it sounded again. _Ritsu_…I couldn't help seething a little.

I opened the door to, "Milady," Ritsu bent over with her arm extended to the sight of…a bright yellow Porsche 911 GT3! ?

Okay, the only reason why I knew the exact name and model of the car was because, "Ricchan! Your father is letting you take out his car! ?"

"O-ho," Ritsu had the back of her hand up against her mouth, "what Daddy doesn't know won't kill him."

I was going to chastise her on that, but then I reminded myself. _If daddy knew I was insanely in love with Ricchan and going to a dance with her, he would die. _But he doesn't, and he's fine. He didn't have to know everything. Maybe I wouldn't tell him until he was about to die anyway. Wow, we're bad daughters.

"You know how to drive stick…?" I exhaled, my face draining blood.

"…"

Five minutes later.

"So you do. Too well," I needed to step out to retch, but nothing came out. We hadn't eaten a thing for dinner! ! Did she have to double the speed limit in all of our residential streets to school! ? She drifted, she totally drifted through a light that was already red! !

"Sorry Mio-chan," Ritsu stood behind me with one hand holding my long hair up and the other hand rubbing my back. I stood up after having nothing to give up but spit. She let go of me and pumped her fist in the air, "But I've always wanted to do that! Now let's dance! !"

Now it was my turn to do what I'd always wanted.

_Can't you see  
That I'm the one  
Who understands you  
Been here all along  
So why can't you see  
You belong with me  
Standing by and  
Waiting at your backdoor  
All this time  
How could you not know  
Baby  
You belong with me  
You belong with me._

We had to buy our tickets at the door of the event, and those were hiked up prices. Ritsu came up short in cash, and she slapped her face in her hands, muttering to herself.

"It's okay, Ritsu, I can get them this time," I offered, pulling out the credit card my parents trusted onto me. Yeah, our school was Ritzy enough to have credit card machines for students. And baka, two wrong moves in the blink of an eye. I had said, "this time," implying that there would even be a second time! And my parents would trace the charges in the billing statement to this dance. Love made you do suicidal things.

"Mio-chan, I love you so!" Ritsu hugged me from behind, nuzzling her face in my hair. I blushed. Even though I knew it was said jokingly, it was all suddenly worth it. If only she'd always randomly hold me from behind, as if she was cutely possessively of me or that I was actually worth it…

Of course, we were the most poorly dressed at the dance. We gained too many stares, attention. Ritsu would get requests and sighs from fangirls; I alone received glares. Scratch that, Sa-wacko glared us both to another corner.

It was so strange anyhow. Every time I met up with this close cousin of mine who attended a public school, she would exclaim how popular my looks would be among the guys. All-girls schools were interesting places. The only girls who appreciated my looks were the big players, and Ritsu told me to stay away from _that_ crowd…with the exception of her. Then she would wink. And I would fall over.

Another thing to make us stand out was that Ritsu and I didn't dance like everyone else. Grinding and booty-shaking were the only forms on the dance floor, but we weren't there yet. The way Ricchan and I bonded was very youthful, innocent…much a sign that we befriended very early on. So our dancing was silly. Awkward. Unskilled. Free.

We became sick of that rather quickly. We eventually slow-danced to fast pop songs, cutting the time in our rhythmically accustomed minds. I was a couple of inches taller than Ritsu, but her tennis shoes were giving her some of an edge over my thin flip-flops. So it was really comfortable to rest my head on her shoulders, broader than my diminutive own. My arms were slung around her neck as her arms wrapped around my waist, casually playing with my hair. When I talked, it would be against her neck, warm air building up…

"Oy Mio. I-it's getting hot," Ritsu stuttered out to me with a very flushed face and neck. "and I'm dying of hunger. You wanna grab some food?"

Well I didn't think it was hot. We were wearing considerably less than most of the others, but Ritsu did look pretty bothered. Was it really the temperature? "Yeah, I'm pretty hungry myself. And this isn't our scene, the dress and music," I agreed as we stepped out into the night air.

We ended up pulling into a cheap night diner. I informed Ritsu to park her car close to a window, so that we could keep an eye on it. We ordered some burgers and fries, and I somehow doted on how endearing it was for Ritsu to swallow instead of chew her food in less than three minutes. She looked pretty content, well, after stealing some of my fries too, full enough to sit back and watch me eat in return. But since she was full, it was probably the easiest to get stuff out of her now…

"Ricchan…why'd you ask me to the dance?"

"Best friends can't go together to a dance?" She replied smoothly, slurping some of her soda.

Burn. Why did I even try? What was there to wish for?

"…Did you want to get back at Sa-wacko?"

"Sa-who? Haha…that's pretty funny Mio-chan! ! Aghh, god no. I guess I forgot about her haha."

"How can you forget about a girl you just went out with! ?" I hated Sa-wacko, but Ritsu could be so insensitive to the girls who truly liked her. Like me.

"I just can. You gonna eat that?" Ritsu pointed at a raw onion I threw out and inhaled it before getting confirmation from me. Not cute anymore. Okay, maybe just a little. Ritsu-bear. Ritsu-I-wanna-cuddle-myself-into-her-messy-bangs-and-kiss-her-until-I-faint-again. Tee-hee.

"Well, fine," I sighed loudly, which sounded dramatic, but my feelings were involved here! "—she wasn't a very good person anyway. Awful, really."

"You didn't like her?" Ritsu asked in her innocent way, not a trace of irony. It reminded me of a child's query.

"Oh Ritsu, I don't like any of the girls you date—" I said before I clamped my hand over my mouth. Crap, set myself up there. And I thought I was supposed to be grilling _her_.

"Really?" Ritsu slapped both hands on the table, leaning towards me. How could she be so surprised? I had assumed it was obvious…

"Yeah, they're dumb, Ritsu."

"That's what I say though! Why do_ you_ not like them?" Ritsu kept leaning in, hungry for my words. She was such a greedy girl.

"Well, they're not exactly kind to me!" I felt myself challenged, and I wanted to cry.

Ritsu sank back into her seat, deep in thought, "Yeah…you don't like them, _and_ they're mean to you. Why has this never worked…?"

"If only you would date a girl that was right for you and would last…" I sighed out the impossible.

"Ah, the answer to life! !" Ritsu abruptly stood up and shot her hand out like some Nazi. There wasn't really anyone sitting around us, so I'd allow her to make a fool of herself. It's as if she lived in her own world…

"Ritsu, what are you talking about?" I genuinely wanted to know. I was beginning to have some déjà-vu here. This sounded awfully familiar… "You mean the answer to life, your life, is to date the right girl that will last? You thought this when you were eight! ?" Or somewhere around that time. She was always so proud through and through the ages. She wouldn't get married like everyone else, she was good at sports, she was popular, she knew the answer to life…

"Pfffft…dating is arboretum," Ritsu sat back down. Arboretum? Dating is like the branches of many trees? "I just did that crap to pass time and open _someone_'s eyes." Oh, _arbitrary_.

"You mean you just date for fun? You don't even like all these girls? How's that for your answer! ?" I was about ready to make a scene myself.

"God no, Mio. But they're perfect stepping stones. They're showy, competitive, and dumb enough to not realize that I don't care about them. I try them on when the school year starts rolling, and get sick of them before it's time to let out. I think I'm early on being sick this year. I'm _already_ itching for summer!"

"Do you care about anyone but yourself?" I spat out, arms crossed, respect for Ritsu plummeting.

"M-m-mi-Mio-chuan! !" Ritsu whined to me with hurt eyes. "How could you! ?" Ritsu turned her head from side-to-side, checking to see if anyone was around. Still no one. "I care about you, and mom, and dad, and Satoshi, and…you?" She had apparently forgotten that she had already listed me…first. I was first and last to her. I couldn't help my blush, but she was still an idiot!

"Then what's the answer to life! ?" This was my last button, no matter how adorably annoying her saves were.

Ritsu's face was overcome by a feverish blush, and her eyes went everywhere except to me. She started raising her hand to the workers, as if we wanted the check. Except this was the kind of diner where you paid upfront at a counter. Sweat treaded down her face and neck as her tone was beginning to look even purple. I had no mercy. My arms were still crossed, and I was looking at her with my "no bullshit" glare. Her lips were trembling, and she gulped before she sighed in defeat. When her head came back up, her face had suddenly become ashen, her eyes heavy. The transition was so drastic that I no longer wanted to know. This was killing her. It wasn't really worth it for me to know.

I placed my hand gently on hers, rubbing it consolingly, "Hey Ricchan, forget about it, you don't have t—"

"You."

_Have you ever thought  
Just maybe  
You belong with me?_

I told my parents I would sleepover at Ritsu's house tonight, and they complied only when I promised them I would finish my Physics project by the end of next week. It was a small price to pay since I was already planning on doing that. I wish my parents knew me a little better.

Ritsu was waiting outside in the bushes for me, not wanting to interact with my parents. Alright, she also became suddenly chivalrous and declared the need to walk with me always in the late hours of night. We seriously lived four houses away from one another. What was even sillier? She had always done this anyway, even in primary. Curious about the exotic car? Ritsu was grounded by her father for originally two weeks. However, when he realized she was able to drive stick and left the car in perfect condition, he went back on the punishment and asked if she wanted to go to the next car expo with him. Sigh…I couldn't wait until he was my father-in-law! !

"Mio, you're squealing," Ritsu commented, looking intently at my face only inches away. I leapt in shock and mumbled incoherently to myself. Ritsu continued to smile stupidly at me, face so very close. I was a little frightened by the adulation. I had never done _anything_, like that movie "Never Been Kissed." Except, I was sure my situation was more severe with parents who never once kissed me on the cheek. Most of my physical affection, _any_ sort of affection had been bestowed by…Ricchan. We were already holding hands in our snail pace down the sidewalk, and it looked like she wanted to kiss me. I didn't think I was ready!

"Oh…Mio-chan, I've been wanting to say, that you look really good in a skirt," Ritsu pointed at my mother's chosen jean skirt with her free hand.

I immediately brought my legs together in subconscious protection. I wasn't used to anyone noticing my looks. "A-ar-are you staring at my legs! ?"

"Do you want me to be?" Ritsu raised her brow suggestively.

"Ritsu!" I shoved her with my shoulder, too embarrassed to make eye contact.

"No, c'mon Mio-chan, I just think you look really beautiful," Ritsu also avoided my eyes, straightening her posture and looking forward.

"I never knew you thought of me like that at all…it's just so—"

"Trust me, I think about your body all the time. Uh. I mean, oops. Damn."

"…"

"Well it's not like I did when we were little! When I mean 'beautiful,' I'm including your face. That's probably the best part! You're so moody and easy for me to read so that when I want to play a prank on yo—"

"Ricchan, you need to go _really_ slow with me. I-I've never done any of this before," I brought us back on topic.

"Oh yeah, sure. I figured you'd need to stay in the closet for most of your life, and we could hold off a relationship until after you graduate university if you really want to be serious, and—" Ritsu was looking at this from a very different angle.

"What? I'll work my way out in time, that's fine. We're already so close, why would I wait another five years? I meant more…hands-on stuff," I shyly admitted. Ritsu looked at me as if she didn't understand. "Physical stuff." She still looked cluelessly at me. She was doing it on purpose! "SEX, Ritsu! !"

"What! ?" Ritsu dropped my hand to flail hers moronically in the air.

"Are you _that_ hormonally-driven that you can't wait for me to have sex! ?" I allowed my anger to tide over my embarrassment. It was extremely effective.

Ritsu placed her hands on her hips with a cocky look on her face. I wanted to smack it off. How does her face even _do _that! ? "Well you're gonna have to wait for me too, honey. Have you not heard the rumors?"

"I'm not included in any circle at school, Ritsu."

"I'm the Pure-Pure Player," Ritsu pounded her jutting chest, "Vag-tease. Ice Princess. Though I really think that name sounds better on yo—"

"You're a virgin! ?" Nah-uh, puh-lease. She thought she could play me too? She was lying.

"I'm hurt, Mio-chuan. Why are you so surprised! ? I didn't like any of those girls, why would I sleep with them?"

"Because you have no self-restraint."

"You're right; I don't." Ritsu walked ahead of me, leaving me hanging. How like her. I had to power-walk to be in-step with her again. She started after a pregnant pause, "But I felt _nothing_ for any of those girls. I was just using them to get to you! It's always been you! The annoying dating, the away-game jersey, the power to crush anyone who hurt you in school, the lyrics…"

Goodness. Was it possible to want to strangle but always trip up and fall in love with the same person so many times in one night? Yes, I could testify to that. Ritsu had saved everything for me, and I never had the chance to give anything of mine away. We were such children. Young, innocent children reaching out to each other blindly. So we'd be behind our peers for a while, with our slow kisses and hesitant curiosity to intimately understand each other, but what kind of magical ending awaited us?

"I hope you don't really die then. You know, when you're 40."

"Yes ma'am! Just be mindful of permanent damage to my skull," Ritsu grinned wickedly at me.

It was a difficult mental task, to hold back on clocking her right on the spot, but I was a good student. I didn't really need to hit her anymore. There were other ways to discipline a bad puppy.

"So while we're going slow Mio-chan, can I still touch your boobies? It's not fair to just look! They're meant to be touched! And before you answer me that, what do find attractive in me? The prospect that I'm good at pleasing women? Which is crock. My charming personality? Oh yeah—or is it my sculpted body?" Ritsu began doing poses of famous Greek art.

She was awfully playful. And brave. I wouldn't normally stomach her crude way of speaking, but tonight would mark a new norm. The end of a difficult chapter in my life to the beginning of an even more challenging one—but this one had promise. "Well your personality is flawed, and your face is sort of impish. You could be a little taller, which would make your forehead look smaller. That god-awful headband." Ritsu's face fell. "But I love watching you work-out and how your arms get all vein-y when you play the drums…"

"Score!" Ritsu held her hand up high in the air as if she were holding a gold medal.

"Baka. But _my_ baka," and as I said this, Ritsu came up from behind to wrap her arms around me, briefly breathing warm air in my ear before kissing it lovingly. It made the lower half of my body feel like jelly. Especially in between my legs. "Tired, Rit-chan? I think it's time for our sleepover," I whispered breathily.

Ritsu grinned, taking hold of my hand exuberantly and pulled us into a breakneck sprint. If I could breathe, I would have chuckled, but she was pulling us…past her house! ? What was the meaning of this? Did she not understand my _suggestion_! ?

"Ri-Ri-" big inhale, small exhale, "where are we going! ?"

"Does it matter?" Ritsu slowed down for me, but kept up a brisk jog.

_No_. Somehow, it didn't. Not when I was with her.

If any of our neighbors had been awake that time of night, I wonder what they would have seen out their windows. Two girls running with clutched hands through the empty streets, or a song in motion.

_End_.

**=YOU BELONG WITH ME=**

OMAKE:

"You know Mio-chan…it's true that you'll never be a bride."

"Mm…why is that, Ricchan?"

"Because they won't let us marry! !" T.T

-.-

Okay, that wasn't funny. At all.

Should I do another songfic? Or are they not my forte? It was fun; you should try.


End file.
